Device for opening letter envelopes, bags, or like articles



April 12, 1960 w. SINDZINSKI DEVICE FOR OPENING LETTER ENVELOPES, BAGS, OR LIKE ARTICLES Filed March 22, 1956 INVENTOR W. 5/ND INSK/ v ATTORNEY United States Patent DEVICE FOR OPENING LETTER ENVELOPES, BAGS, 0R LIKE ARTICLES Willy Sindzinski, Berlin, Germany, assignor to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationMarch '22, 1956, Serial No. 573,278 Claims priority, application Germany March 28, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 53-386) The invention relates to devices for opening letter envelopes, bags, folding boxes, or like articles or receptacles for the purpose of clearing or of filling them. Arrangements are known in which the upper wall parts of a receptacle made of paper are seized by suction arms and drawn apart. Devices so constructed are somewhat cumbersome, since they comprise parts which are driven mechanically and have to do work of periodical recurrence. The operations of filling and clearing must'hence be accomplished in a certain rhythm, a requirement which is undesirable in many cases.

In devices according to the present invention, moving mechanical parts are dispensed with. Only suction means are employed, whereby the manufacture and attendance of the apparatus involve considerable saving in expense. According to the invention a funnel-shaped or prismatic trough is arranged to take up the receptacles to be opened and comprises two opposite walls joined on one of their longitudinal sides, by a narrow strap, and spaced apart on the other longitudinal side to form a wide opening. These walls are provided with vertical rows of perforations'which are situated about in the middle of the walls and constitute the inlet ports of a suction duct.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description, reference being had to the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trough according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of my device.

The trough is constituted by the walls 1, 2' and the strap 3. At one of its face ends a cover plate 4 is provided as shown in Fig. 1. The other face end is completely open. At this latter end the receptacles to be opened, such as letter envelopes, are inserted into thetrough in any convenient manner either manually or automatically. It is, however, also possible for the re ceptacles to be inserted into the trough through the upper opening thereof or through an opening provided in strap 3.

After an envelope or other receptacle has been properly Patented Apr. 12, 1960 envelope, can now be cleared or filled,'as the case may be.

The trough 1, 2, 3 may be given a position the reverse of that here shown, its opening being thus turned downward. In this case means are arranged to hold the respective receptacle in its position within the trough. Such means may be constituted by suction openings in the strap 3, which is then at the top of the trough. Also it is possible to arrange for the trough opening to be held closed during the insertion of a receptacle and not to be reopened until the suction of duct 6 is in communication with the trough. Since the receptacle in the trough has its opening directed downward, its contents will then fall out.

the contents of letter envelopes.

While Ihave described above the principles of my invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of, example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is: a

1. Device ,for opening letter envelopes and the like receptacles comprising a suction duct, a trough-shaped member for receiving a receptacle, said trough-shaped member comprising a pair of walls disposed opposite one another, joined along one side by a narrow strap and spaced apart at the opposite side to form a flared opening and said walls being provided with apertures for communication with said suction duct. I

2. Device according to claim 1 in which one end of said member is provided with an opening through which References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Socke Apr. 1, 1947 Fogwell et a1 May 13, 1958 

